Pilgrim's Pride sued for hiring illegal workers

Jennifer Hall an employee of Pilgrim's Pride in
Alabama (US) has filed a class-action suit which claims that the plant's
operations manager, Paul White, and Complex Manager Phyllis Thomas,
intentionally hired illegal immigrants to reduce wages for all plant employees.

The lawsuit asks for a jury trial and a judgment equal to three times the
damage the illegal hirings caused the plaintiffs and attorney fees. Plaintiffs
include hourly paid workers employed by Pilgrim's Pride (or Gold Kist Inc., now a
Pilgrim's subsidiary) at all the company's facilities around the US.

Ray Atkinson, Director of Corporate Communications, explained that the
company uses the Basic Pilot Employment Verification Program, a voluntary
initiative under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security, to
ensure the legality of its new hires. He added that the lawsuit "is completely
without merit."